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Ordinary Time · Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time · Year B

Mark 4:26-34

Parables of the Growing Seed and the Mustard Seed

June 13, 2027

The Sower (Sower at Sunset), Vincent van Gogh
The Sower (Sower at Sunset), Vincent van Gogh, 1888Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo
The same subject as his other sowers, but here the sun is an enormous disc directly behind the figure and the field is laid in violet against it.The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground and would sleep and rise, and the seed would sprout, he does not know how.Vincent van GoghVan Gogh (1853-1890) trained first for the ministry and preached in a Belgian mining district before taking up painting, which he did seriously for only the last decade of his life.Kröller-Müller Museum, OtterloA museum in the middle of a Dutch national park, built on Helene Kröller-Müller's collection and holding the second largest group of Van Goghs.Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo
Roman Lectionary
GospelMark 4:26-34Mk 4:26-34
Second Reading2 Cor. 5:6-102 Cor 5:6-10
First ReadingEzek. 17:22-24Ez 17:22-24
Responsorial PsalmPs. 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16 (cf. 2a)Ps 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16 (cf. 2a)

Overview & Insights

“It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth.” (Mark 4:31)

Two seed parables describe the kingdom of God: seed that grows secretly by itself while the farmer sleeps, and a tiny mustard seed that becomes a large shrub where birds nest. Both stress that the kingdom grows by God's own power.

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Take it further: Mark 4:26-34

Commentary

Commentary on Mark 4:26-34Commentary on Mk 4:26-34 Working Preacher

Luther Seminary exegesis hearing the kingdom grow quietly by God's own power in the two seed parables.

Mark 4:26-34 CommentaryMk 4:26-34 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching

Reformed, sermon shaped commentary on the mystery of kingdom growth and the mustard seed.

Mark 4: The Parables of the KingdomMk 4: The Parables of the Kingdom Enduring Word · David Guzik

David Guzik's verse by verse evangelical commentary on the whole chapter of parables.

Mark 4 CommentaryMk 4 Commentary Precept Austin

A deep gathering of word studies and cross references worked verse by verse through Mark 4.

Mark 4:26 CommentariesMk 4:26 Commentaries BibleHub

Aggregates classic commentaries on the seed parables in one place.

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) Catholic Productions · Brant Pitre

Dr. Brant Pitre opens the day's readings from a Catholic scholar, tying the kingdom parables to Ezekiel's cedar sprig.

Eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B, Sunday Connection Loyola Press · Sunday Connection

Catholic background, reflection questions, and family prayer for the Sunday's readings.

Background & Word Study

Book of Mark OverviewBook of Mk Overview BibleProject

An animated overview of Mark that situates the parables of chapter 4 within the whole Gospel.

Mark 4:26 Greek InterlinearMk 4:26 Greek Interlinear BibleHub

Greek word by word with parsing and Strong's numbers for the seed parables.

The Church Fathers

Catena on Mark 4Catena on Mk 4 Catena

Patristic comments gathered verse by verse on the parables of the kingdom.

Sermons & Reflections

Meanwhile, the Kingdom Journey with Jesus

A lectionary essay on the sleeping farmer and the grace by which the kingdom grows apart from our striving.

Art & Music

Art in the Christian Tradition Vanderbilt

A curated image index for the readings of the day across the history of Christian art.

Study Hub

The Text This Week: Proper 11 B Textweek

A curated index of commentary, art, and sermons for the day's Gospel across traditions (a few links may be dated).

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